Braces do the job of straightening teeth, regardless of age. Rarely do we see adults wearing braces, but when we do, one question instantly pops into our heads - do braces work for adults? The answer is YES. In fact, adults aged 20 to 40 years represent at least 40 percent of the population of people wearing braces. The reason why so mean people skipped wearing braces during their youth is that they often feared of being bullied and teased, because back in the 80's and 90's, braces resembled miniature bear traps.
Today, more adults find comfort and reliability wearing braces. Nowadays, wearing braces has even become more of a fashion statement than a social blunder. Even people with obviously straight teeth want to try out braces just for the fun of it. And, adults can even skip the traditional metal braces and opt for Invisalign braces, which also emulate the pulling power of braces, but are transparent and can be removed with ease, just like retainers.
The amount of time to straighten teeth usually doubles for adults, since adult teeth are more resilient to being "pushed and pulled" and already have reached the peak of their stiffness. Apart from this, adults with would also likely have to have other teeth pulled out if the braces will require some extra space. Recently, the adult population's demand for effective braces has also invoked the development of what we now call 'speed dental braces' or simply 'speed braces', which cut the time for your teeth to straighten out.
For example, regular braces usually take two years two fully straighten adult teeth - but with speed braces, the duration of wearing these appliances only takes about a year and a few months. Speed braces expedite the pulling/pushing process by a using a technology that automatically slides the wire to comfortably suit the bite of the patient, and a plus - there is no need for extra wires, nor rubber bands. This makes the adjustment process a breeze; dental visits are also done only after two to three months.
Speed braces also make cleaning teeth easier because of their miniscule size, which allows greater control of the toothbrush when we either brush or floss our teeth. And, because of the small size of the brackets, paired with the short duration of wearing the braces, every tooth is less prone to decalcification, a dental condition marked by dark spots on the teeth, which develop while braces are currently installed.
As you wear your braces - in that short duration - you will notice the drastic improvements with the way you chew your food. If you've had protruding tooth before, you'll eventually notice that you are now chewing and gnawing food easily and effectively, because all the teeth are straightened and utilized properly. People with protruding teeth are at a higher risk of getting a root canal done on their molars, because the food chutes directly into the back teeth, without even getting preliminarily crushed by the incisors, hence requiring more force to be used on the molars.
We hope you enjoy your wearing your braces and may the end-result be a fruitful one.